Much like the career of the Black Eyed Peas, Songs About Girls starts with promise and proceeds to head directly off a cliff. It was reasonable to think things could be different on this, Will.i.am’s third solo album; he’s done production for respectable artists lately, and bandmate Fergie’s solo effort The Dutchess contains moments of pop bliss. Even Songs About Girls’ leadoff—the Electric Light Orchestra-sampling “Over”—is a fairly heartfelt obituary for a failed relationship, and the second, “Heartbreaker,” is an honest owning-up to the character’s scumbag tendencies.
But first single, “I Got It From My Mama,” should be enough to answer that question about why the terrorists hate us. The love-interest/sex object in question may have gotten her body from her mama, but the song’s hook is stolen lock, stock and barrel from “My Humps.” Things get even worse from there. Crass come-ons populate the album, but the disingenuously sincere ones are arguably more offensive. On “Ain’t It Pretty,” a wasted Polow Da Don effort, Will raps/sings/grovels: “Ya got a pretty face, and tig ol’ bits/I just wanna pay you some compliments/Please don’t think that I’m trying to get in it.” Why ever would we think that, Will?
WILL.I.AM
Songs About Girls
1/2